The Fourth of July is just a few days away. BBQ, fireworks and lots of red, white and blue are in the offing.

Up north, they're already partying.

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July 1 is Canada Day, the national holiday for America's neighbor and close ally. This year is even more special, with the day marking the 150th anniversary of Confederation and Canada becoming a self-governing nation.

What's so special about Canada Day?

Signed on July 1, 1867, the Constitution Act -- then known as The British North America Act -- united the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, creating "One Dominion" under the British Empire. It also set up much of the government's structure and divided the new country into four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Like its neighbor to the south, Canada eventually stretched from coast-to-coast, adding nine more provinces over the years to come. Its newest province, Nunavut, was carved from the sparsely populated Northwest Territories in 1999 and is Canada's largest province, stretching into the Arctic Circle.

Despite being the largest country in the Western Hemisphere, Canada has a relatively low population at just under 36 million people. Most citizens live near the southern border, with a high density in the southern Ontario region near Toronto and other large metro areas in Montreal and Vancouver.

It didn't always have the same name

Originally, the holiday was called Dominion Day, but it was renamed in 1982 to coincide with an act that allowed Canada to finally amend its own constitution without the consent of the British Parliament. The measure was signed by Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, who is the father of current PM Justin Trudeau.

And of course, with Canada being a bilingual nation, the French-speaking Quebecois have a different name, calling the holiday Fête du Canada.

Congrats, Canada!

President Donald Trump acknowledged the big day, tweeting Saturday morning "Happy Canada Day to all of the great people of Canada and to your Prime Minister and my new found friend @JustinTrudeau. #Canada150."

Happy Canada Day to all of the great people of Canada and to your Prime Minister and my new found friend @JustinTrudeau. #Canada150